UAEM & LTC

Contents

  1. Degrees and courses
    1. Opportunities in Mexico
  2. Options for LTC Students in Toluca
    1. Teaching Practicum in Toluca, Mexico
    2. Dual MA in ESL (Option IV — 36 hour program with Professional Development Project)
  3. How to Apply to the Dual MA Program
    1. US Citizens or Residents
    2. International Students
  4. Internships
  5. UAEM & LTC's Relationship
  6. UAEM FAQ
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Degrees and Courses

Opportunities in Mexico

Students in the Department of Linguistics and Technical Communication have the opportunity to participate in a variety of programs offered through a collaborative agreement with the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Mexico in Toluca, Mexico (UAEM). For information about this agreement and UAEM please visit their website at http://www.uaemex-unt.org.

Toluca is located in central Mexico, approximately one hour from Mexico City. With a population of more than one million people, Toluca has everything you'd need from a large city. Yet despite its proximity to one of the largest cities in the world, Toluca manages to maintain the traditions and customs of a small town. Toluca has few tourists and only a small population of foreign residents, making it a very authentic cultural experience.

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Options for LTC students in Toluca

Teaching Practicum in Toluca, Mexico

The English teaching practicum in Toluca, Mexico is an option for all LTC graduate students in the MA or the TESOL Certificate programs. Students may elect to complete LING 5340 "Practicum in Teaching English as a Second Language" in Toluca as an internship or they can choose to incorporate teaching into an independent study (LING 5900) that can also be completed in Toluca. Each option enables LTC students to gain practical teaching experience while living in a new culture.

For their internship credit, LTC graduate students work at the UAEM Department of Languages and/or the Center for Language and Culture (CILC). Class sizes vary from extremely intimate groups of 4 to large undergraduate classes of 25 students from pre-beginning to upper advanced levels. In addition to general English courses, LTC students may chose to develop specialized courses that allow them to add curriculum development to their CV. Examples of student-developed courses include "Academic Listening and Note-Taking," "GRE Composition Writing," "English though Television and Music," "Introduction to Short Stories," and various culture courses. While in Toluca, LTC interns receive the support of a professional mentor who assists with lesson plans, conducts observations, provides feedback, and guides students toward their teaching goals. In addition to practical teaching experience, LTC interns receive:

  • Free roundtrip airfare
  • Free housing (phone not included). UNT student interns can opt to stay in a modern 3-bedroom home located within walking distance from UAEM. The neighborhood is pleasant and safe with many cafes, markets, shops, gymnasiums, and more.
  • Monthly stipend of $600 USD
  • Use of UAEM facilities such as the gym, computer labs, and classroom equipment
  • Optional Spanish courses at the Center for Language and Culture (free in exchange for English conversation classes)

Dual MA in ESL (Option IV — 36 hour program with Professional Development Project)

The Dual MA in English as a Second Language (ESL) is a unique opportunity to study at two institutions, to live and work in two cultures, and to earn two MA degrees in just four semesters! Students study their first year (18 credit hours) at UNT and their second year (18 credit hours) at UAEM in Toluca, Mexico. Upon successful completion of program requirements and a professional development project, students receive a Master of Arts in ESL from UNT and a Master of Arts in English Language Teaching from UAEM.

The dual MA in ESL offers valuable international study experience for students. The practicum component of the curriculum allows future ESL teachers to gain teaching experience while working in a university setting. In addition to teaching, dual MA students may participate in classroom observations, workshops, and peer networking with their Mexican counterparts in public and private institutions. What's more, UAEM is an ideal setting for ESL/EFL research in order for UNT students to complete a professional development project.

While Spanish is not required in the dual MA (all courses are taught in English), some students opt to learn or improve their Spanish while in Toluca. Dual MA students have the option to take free Spanish classes in exchange for English workshops in order to enrich their cultural experience. To be accepted in the Dual MA, students must first complete LING 5040 with a B or higher.

Required Courses at UNT (Year 1)
  • LING 5060 Second Language Acquisition (3 hours)
  • LING 5070 Bibliography and Methods of Research in Linguistics/ESL (3 hours)
  • LING 5090 Pedagogical English Grammar (3 hours)
  • LING 5300 Phonology (3 hours)
  • LING 5310 Syntax (3 hours)
  • Elective LING course (3 hours)
Courses offered at UAEM (Year 2)
  • Curriculum Design (3 hours)
  • ESL Methods (3 hours)
  • Evaluation (3 hours)
  • Teaching Practicum (3 hours)
  • Elective LING courses (6 hours)

Professional Development Project
Students will begin work on their Professional Development Project during their first semester at UAEM. The project will consist of a paper and an oral defense. Students will identify specific teaching challenges related to ESL/EFL teaching, e.g., problems with teaching skill areas, success of classroom activities, or issues of classroom management.

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How to Apply to the Dual MA Program

US Citizens or Residents:

  1. Complete and submit a graduate application at www.applytexas.org. Choose "University of North Texas". Important: List ALL the universities/colleges where you have enrolled or attended since high school graduation. Remember to complete each section and press SUBMIT.
  2. Pay the application fee. On the last page of the online application indicate the method of payment.
  3. Provide the official academic transcript(s) or documents from ALL the universities/colleges listed on the online application form. Mail these to the Toulouse Graduate School. UNT cannot accept unattested photocopies, notarized photocopies, faxed or scanned official documents; however, an official translation is not required.
  4. Provide and MAIL the official degree certificate(s) or diploma from ALL the universities/colleges listed in the education history of the application form. Mail the documents to the mailing address below. UNT cannot accept unattested photocopies, notarized photocopies, faxed or scanned official documents.
  5. Provide an official GRE score — you should have your scores sent directly to UNT.
  6. Email a current resume and a 300-500 word "statement of intent" indicating your interest in the Dual MA program to the LTC Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Patricia Cukor-Avila at pcavila@unt.edu.

International Students:

The admissions process for international students involves the following steps. Please consult the UNT International Programs website for the most up-to-date information on the application process for international students.

  1. Complete and submit a graduate application at www.applytexas.org. Choose "University of North Texas". Important: List ALL the universities/colleges where you have enrolled or attended since high school graduation. Remember to complete each section and press SUBMIT.
  2. Pay the application fee. On the last page of the online application indicate the method of payment.
  3. Provide the official academic transcript(s) or documents from ALL the universities/colleges listed on the online application form. Mail these to the mailing address below. Provide official documents in the original Spanish language and also prepare an English translation. UNT cannot accept unattested photocopies, notarized photocopies, faxed or scanned official documents; however, an official translation is not required.
  4. Provide and MAIL the official degree certificate(s) or diploma from ALL the universities/colleges listed in the education history of the application form. Mail the documents to the mailing address below. Provide official documents in the original Spanish language and prepare an English translation. UNT cannot accept unattested photocopies, notarized photocopies, faxed or scanned official documents. UNT does not require an official translation.
  5. Send a short email to the International Office, international@unt.edu, after you have completed Step 1 above and confirm submission of your online application. This will ensure that your application for this special program is processed correctly. Remember to provide your full name and date of birth so she can locate your materials quickly.
  6. Provide an official score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or satisfy the English proficiency requirement in an alternate manner specified by the International Admissions Office.
  7. Provide an official GRE score — you should have your scores sent directly to UNT.
  8. Email a current resume and a 300-500 word "statement of intent" indicating your interest in the Dual MA program to the LTC Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Patricia Cukor-Avila at pcavila@unt.edu.
    The mailing address for the International Programs office is:
    1155 Union Circle #311067
    Denton, TX 76203-5017


    1.940.565.2197 (voice)
    1.940.565.4822 (fax)
    international@unt.edu
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Internships

Coming soon!
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About UAEM & LTC's Relationship

Please visit UAEM's Website.

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UAEM FAQ

Coming soon!